By JIMMY D / Filatov fills net, but not fantasy rosters | Jimmy's archive

OK, so maybe Nikita Filatov is more than just another pretty face.

The Ruskie rookie, who got Jimmy’s attention again at the World Junior Championships as much for his good looks as his solid play, scored a hattrick Saturday against Minnesota.

Paired with former Moosey Jacub Voracek and pest Mike Pest-ca, he notched the trick in just nine minutes of play. But hockey poolies who scooped him off waivers this week shouldn’t get too excited.

He was treading water in the AHL and got called up only when Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Jason Chimera all hit the injured list. And spindly offensive floaters have never been a good match for Coach Ken Hitchcock, who prefers sandpaper and defensive responsibility.

Still, he is proving early he can snipe goals. Although, Fabian Brunnstrom showed the same promise with hattrick in his first game and he is regularly a healthy scratch down in Dallas of late.

Bourque is worse than his bite

No, that’s not Ray Bourque reincarnated in Calgary as a point-per-game forward. It’s journeyman Rene Bourque, who boasted a streak of points in six of seven games in recent weeks. Paired with Daymond Langkow and Todd Bertuzzi, he is killing penalties, enjoying power-play minutes and generally making a fantasy nuisance of himself.

As for Ray Bourque’s offspring, dwarfy son Chris was sent back to the minors again last week after a brief stint in Washington. At 5-foot-7 and 165 pounds, he is pretty small. You might say his is Bourquing up the wrong tree in trying to make the NHL fulltime.

Quick study

Jon Quick may not be the Kings’ goalie of the future, but he is pushing to become their goalie of the present. Before losing 5-1 to the Devils, the third-rounder had beaten the Flyers and Ducks at home and earned road shutouts at Phoenix and Columbus.

Kings management says he and Erik Ersberg will continue to play and this team is not going to mortgage any of its sparkling future for short-term help here. Jonathan Bernier remains the goalie of the future, but you never know with kooky netminders. Quick is worth shoving on your roster for some short-term goalie production.

Little-known Little

Bryan Little was probably not on any roster in your league to start the season. The Thrasher center made the most of his chances on the power play to churn up 19 goals in 40 games. In many Yahoo! leagues, he is still available, in part because of the depth at center and in part because Little just banged up his ribs.

Keep an eye on the injury report to see when he is ready. If he picks up where he left off, there is little doubt Little deserves a spot on your roster.

Speaking of little people, former Devil and former Leaf Stevie Sullivan played this weekend, nearly two years after a back injury put him out. He saw a bit of time on Nashville’s second power-play unit and should be plenty rested presuming the surgically repaired back of a dwarf can hold up to the NHL grind.

Tampa Bay-bound?

Speaking of fantasy football, hard to believe Jimmy’s Eagles are a single win over the lame Cardinals from getting back to the Super Bowl. Arizona upset the Panthers and the Eagles thumped the Giants Sunday in the Divisional Playoff round.

A Philly win in the desert will result in Jimmy scrambling for plane tickets and game tickets for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. Regular readers will recall Jimmy’s last-minute rush to get to Jacksonville three years ago to watch his Eagles lose to the damn Patriots.

jpoole@herald.ca